Fifth-wheel.



W TRUE FIFTH WHEEL.

APPLIUATION FILED Nov.1a, 190s.

Patented oct. 19,1909.

Z'SBEETS-SHEET 1.

W TRUE FIFTH WHEEL. APPLICATION I'ILBD NOV.18, 1908.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNH- sra orion.

i WILLIAM TRUE, F FAIRFIELD, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR T0 W. I-I. SKILLING, OF FAIR- FIELD, NEBRASKA.

riFTH-WHEEL.

T o all whom fit may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM TRUE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Clay and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifthel/Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention appertains to vehicle running gear and more particularly to the connecting means between the front axle and the forward end of the coupling pole or reach, the purpose being to devise a novel fifth wheel connection and cooperating parts with the result that a substantial connection is provided which will enable the front axle to turn freely and which admits of the parts being quickly assembled or easily dismembered for any desired purpose.

Vhile the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge ofthe details of construction of the means for eecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the front portion of a vehicle running gear showing the fifth wheel connection embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1, the upper and lower braces being in section and a portion of the lower iron and axle being broken away. Fig. 3 is a top. plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, the head block being detached from and lo-cated above the lower member of the fifth wheel. Fig. 5 is a view of the head block inverted. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the lower member of the fifth wheel.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the same reference characters.

The reach or coupling pole 1 may be of any formation and design depending upon the make and pattern of the vehicle to which adapted. A brace 2 is fastened to the upper side of the Vforward end of the reach 1 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application le. November 18, 1908.

vwheel and the bolster.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Serial No. 463,224.

its front end extends upward and thence forward on the reach and terminates in a head 3 whose vertical edges are beveled to form an interlocking connection with the head block. The brace 4 is secured to the lower side of the forward end of the reach 1 and extends downwardly and thence forwardly of the reach and terminates in a sleeve 5 which receives a bolt or fastening 6 attached at its upper end to the iron 7 secured to the lower side of the axle. The braces 2 and 4 are preferably attached to the reach 1 by the same bolts or fastenings 8 passed through registering openings in the several parts. The axle 9 receives a bolster 10 and has the iron 7 clipped or otherwise attached thereto. T he iron 7 is formed near opposite ends with outer lugs 11 which are vertically apertured to receive the legs of clips 12, said clips also serving to secure the bolster to the axle and the lower part of the 5th The iron 7 is formed at a central point with an opening which is enlarged at its upper end to form a recess 14 to receive the head of the bolt or fastening 6, the latter coming flush with the upper Side of the iron 7 so as notto prevent engagement of said iron throughout its extent with the under side of the axle.

The lower member of the fifth wheel comprises a bar or plate 15 having pendent ears 16 near opposite ends to embrace opposite sides of the bolster 10, to prevent front or rear displacement of said part 15 when in place. Ribs 17 upon the lower side of the bar or plate 15 enter grooves 18 in the upper side of the bolster 10 and prevent longitudinal movement of the part 15 on said bolster. A raised seat 19 is provided centrally of the bar or plate 15 and is of circular formation and of a diameter to provide ample bearing for the Lipper member of the fifth wheel. A circle 2O is mounted upon end portions of the bar or plate 15 and may form a part thereof or be secured thereto in any substantial manner. A circle 20 is curved upon its inner edge to form an upper flange 21 and a lower flange 22. The upper face of the flange 22 is about in a plane with the upper face of the seat 19. The upper iange 21 is cut away to form a space 23 for a purpose to be explained more fully hereinafter. A portion of the circle 20 between the upper iiange 21 and the lower flange 22 is cut away adjacent to the space or opening 23 to provide spaces 24 at opposite ends of and in communication with the space 23 and for a purpose presently to be disclosed. The clips 12 engage the bar or plate 15 at points between the seat 19 and the points of contact of the circle 2O therewith. The headblock 25 is formed at a central point with a circular portion 2G to engage and rest upon the raised seat 19, and is provided at its ends with curved cross heads 27 to engage the groove formed upon the inner head of the circle 20, and with other cross heads 28 to engage over and rest upon the upper flange 21 of the circle 20. The liange 21 of the circle 2O is embraced between the cross heads 27 and 2S. The head block 25 with the concomitant parts 26, 27 and 2S, constitutes the upper member of the fifth wheel. A kingbolt 29 is mounted in vertically alined openings formed in the head block Q5 of the bar or plate 15, said kingbolt coinciding with the centers of the circular plates 19 and 26. A recess 30 is formed in the rear side of the hea dbloek 25 and its vertical edges are under cut to receive the beveled edges of the head 3 so as to form the interlocking connection between said head 3 and the head block as herein described. The upper portion of the head block is longitudinally curved or otherwise formed to provide the seat upon which the front spring of the vehicle rests. Apertured lugs 31 near opposite ends of the head bloclr Q5 are adapted to receive the clips or 'fastenings, not shown, by means of which the front springs ot' the vehicle are held in place.

iWhen the parts of the titth wheelv are assembled the lo ier cross heads n? et the head block enter the groove formed upon the inner side of the circle 20 and engage under the upper flange 9.1 and the upper cross heads 2S rest upon said tlange 21. "When spacing the parts in position the head block is turned so as to stand about at a rightangle to the axle. This brings the end portion of the bar or plate 15 in line with and opposite to the space Q3 and enables said bar or plate 15 to pass through said space. r he lower cross head 27 now comes in line with the space 24 and by sliding the head block forward the cross head 27 passes beneath the end portions of the upper tlange Q1 bordering upon the space 23 so that when the headblock is turned to a position about parallel with the axle, the cross heads 2T enga 03e under the flange 21' oi the circle Q0 as will be readily apparent from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

As indicated most clearly in Fig. '-l. a washer QS is interposed between the members comprising the iifth wheel, so as to receive the wear and enable the parts to relatively turn more easily.

Having thus described the invention, whaty is claimed as new is:

1. In vehicle running gear the combination of an axle, a iitth wheel connection mounted thereon and comprising a head block, an iron arranged beneath the aXle and having a vertical opening enlarged at its upper end, a reach, an upper brace secured to the reach and extending npwardliv and forwardly thereot' and ternlinating in a head which is snugly iitted in a recess ot the head block and interloels therewith, a lower brace secured to said reach and extended downwardly and ltorwardl)Y and terminating in a sleeve, and a headed fastening mounted in said sleeve and havingl its head portion titted in the enlarged portion ot the openingl formed in the iron located beneath the axle.

Q. In vehicle ruiming gear theI combination of a htth wheel eomprlsing nppel and lower members, the lower iember comprising a circle having its inner edge grooved to provide spaced upper and lower llanges. the upper tlange being ent away to provide an opening and having portions cut a 'ay adjacent to said opening, and the upper member having cross heads at opposite ends. om` ol said cross heads being adapted to pass through the opening formed by the cut away portion ot' the circle, so as to enter the inner groove thereof, and said upper member having other cross heads vertically spaced `from the firsty mentioned cross heads to overlap and engage with the upper side ot the said upper flange ot the circle.

ln testimony whereoi3 l aliix my lsignature. in presence of two witnesses.

lVl'LLli-til TRUE. in sjl vWitnesses lV. J. Boonen, E. E. Qnisnnnnnnv. 

